THE HUNGER GAMES: the taste of Whiskey and Snow // CORIOLANUS SNOW

Nine

Whiskey sat across the table from snow. He was standing with his arms crossed, talking about strategy.

"The next interview we do, I'll make sure to be really close. Make sure you stare..."

Whiskey was trying to pay attention but her mind kept drifting to the short man behind Coriolanus. He looked so familiar to her, like she'd seen him before. When she entered, he looked at her with familiarity too. And now, even thought he was pretending not to see her, she could tell he was ignoring her. So who was he? And where had she seen him before?

"Are you listening to me?" Coriolanus suddenly asked, making Whiskey's attention snap back to the conversation.

"Sorry" She apologised, rubbing her eyes and fighting the exhaustion. All this thinking was hurting her head. "You said stare at you," she vaguely repeated.

"I said I was going to kiss you when the cameras are rolling," Coriolanus repeated himself, sounding frustrated. "What's wrong with you today, Everdeen? You seemed distracted."

This made Whiskey laugh and sit back. She found humour in his impatience. "Sorry, Snow. Rough night," she half-joked. At that comment, she noticed Ratley's eyes on her from the table over, eavesdropping.

"Yeah? Is that why your arms bleeding all over your dress and you have a black eye? Or did you trip again," he asked suspiciously.

Whiskey was too tired to fight off her smile at his anger. "It is actually," she smirked, wondering how far she could push the capital boy before he would do something about his frustration.

He sighed and crossed his arms over his hand made button up shirt, studying her with his eyes. "If we are going to win this, you need to be honest with me, Everdeen."

"Sorry master. I forgot you were in control of me," Whiskey snapped, crossing her arms as much as her chains allowed.

Snow clenched his jaw, showing his anger on his face. "Do you want to win or not?"

From this, whiskey actually laughed out loud. "How can you ask me that? We both know I won't win. It's impossible. Don't pretend like you think I actually have a chance."

Coriolanus suddenly leant forward and brought his face close to hers. She could smell roses. "Listen, Whiskey. You may have given up but I actually believe in you. The plinth prize has nothing to do with whether or not you win. There's nothing in this for me. I just care that you live because I care about you."

Whiskey raised her eyebrows in surprise. She did not expect him to say that. He cared?

Snow lifted himself upright and spotted Volumnia Gaul watching him from across the room. She smiled and nodded at him, knowing he was doing well. He looked back down at Whiskey, feeling a sense of hope. Maybe he might actually win the Plinth Prize.

-

It was after dinner by the time he visited Whiskey in the Zoo. He crossed the road and approached the cage with a sandwich in his satchel for her. Today he noticed her looking thinner than usual and he could tell she hadn't been sleeping. For her to be her fullest ability she needed to be eating food at least.

However, when he got there, Everdeen was nowhere to be seen. Instead, her friend from district 12, Ratley Reid, stood by the bars.

"What do you want?" Ratley asked with a slither of dislike in his words.

Snow brushed back his hair and looked over his shoulder into the zoo, "Is Whiskey there? I need to give her something."

"Why do you care? What's in this for you?" Ratley interrogated him. "Is this all for that prize money? She actually likes you, you know. Thinks you're cool. I don't see why."

Snow awkwardly clutched onto his satchel, "No, it's not all for the money. I actually like her too. I think she's cool and I want her to live."

"Right," Ratley crossed his arms, judging him. "Do you really care about her?"

"Why are you asking me these things? I just want to give her some food then I'll get out of your way, okay?" Snow sighed. "I know you hate me, which I get because I'm from the capital, but trust me I do care about her safety."

Ratley looked uncomfortable and looked over his shoulder quickly before saying the next part. "Will you help her then?"

"What? What are you talking about? Is she in trouble?" Snow asked, searching the cage for his tribute. "Where is she?"

"Shh," he looked paranoid. "Something is happening to her and she's not safe here. You need to get her out of this zoo before she dies here."

This caught Snows attention. He couldn't win the plinth prize if his tribute was dead. "You need to tell me what's going on."

Suddenly, a nose came from the cave in the back corner and Ratley panicked. "I'm sorry, I just... please help her." He then disappeared into the zoo.

Snow grabbed onto the metal bars, trying to get a better look at what was going on. Finally, an older boy from district 7, named Tim Walker, walked out the cave, zipping up his pants and touching the blood on his fists.

Slowly, a broken looking figure walked out after him, limping and shaking. He recognised her hair straight away. "Everdeen?" He whispered, immediately realising what was happening.

He clenched his fists, wishing in that moment that he could do something about it all. He had to get her out of here. It wasn't fair.

Suddenly, Whiskey spotted him by the edge of the bars. She froze and watched his expression. She looked worried, but he didn't care. He threw the sandwich out of his satchel towards her and stormed away. Something had to be done.